Garment hanger sheath with hanger insert

ABSTRACT

A removable sheath of an expanded plastic material such as Styrofoam, polyurethane or polystyrene having a horizontal bar and shoulder support bars to be used with a wire garment hanger. A slot extends through the removable sheath to enable the insertion therein of a wire garment hanger such that the only part of the wire hanger that extends beyond the boundaries of the removable sheath is the wire hanger hook. The horizontal bar and shoulder support bars are of a substantial thickness to prevent creasing of garments hanging therefrom.

United States Patent 1 1 1111 3,807,609

Tymoszek Apr. 30, 1974 [54] GARMENT HANGER SHEATH WITH 3,40l,853 9/1968 Lane.....' 223/87 HANGER INSERT 1,740,566 12/1929 Batts.... 223/98 X [76] Inventor: Raymond Tymoszek, 38221 Emery FOREIGN PATENTS 0R APPLICATIONS D1., Mt. Clemens, Mich. 48043 808,029 3/1969 Canada 223/85 [22] Ffled' July 1971 Primary Examiner-George H. Kn'zmanich PP NOJ 167,142 Attorney, Agent, or FirmWeiner, Basile and I Weintaub [52] US. Cl. 223/88, 223/98 51 Int. Cl. A47j 51/097 ABSTRACT Field of Search 223/85, 86, 88, 92, 98, A removable sheath of an expanded plastic material 223/37 such as Styrofoam, polyurethane or polystyrene having a horizontal bar and shoulder support bars to be [56] References Cited used with a wire garment hanger. A slot extends UNITED STATES PATENTS through the removable sheath to enable the insertion 2,559,096 4/1951 Tomarin 223/87 therein of a Wire garment hanger Such that the y 3,167,224 1/1965 Landers 223/98 p r Of the r ng that x n beyond h 3,001,675 9/1961 Aynes et a1. 223/88 boundaries of the removable sheath is the wire hanger 2,622,775 12/1952 Sasaki 223/98 hook, The horizontal bar and shoulder support bars 2,444,345 6/1948 Friedman 223/98 are of a substantial thickness to prevent creasing of 3,059,824 10/1962 Henry 223/88 garments hanging therefrom 2,488,860 11/1949 Gentile et al. 223/86 2,420,101 5/1947 Samann 223/88 6 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures GARMENT HANGER SHEATH WITH HANGER INSERT BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to the field encompassing garment hangers, and to decorative and functional garment hanger sheaths.

2. Description of the Prior Art Prior art hangers are usually narrow, thus promoting the creasing of a garment hanging therefrom in those areas of the garment in contact with the hanger. In addition, many prior art hangers are made entirely of metal which, in many cases, leaves a rust stain on garments, especially wet wash and wear clothes which are hung from hangers to dry. Prior art sheaths for hangers are usually made of light cardboard foamed plastic or wood, and cover only the shoulder support members, or only the horizontal bar of a hanger. Many of these sheaths or covers are flimsy in addition to being narrow. Thus, a garment hung from hangers incorporating these sheaths will develop creases in those areas in contact with the hanger. Also, because of their flimsiness, they break or fail, thus dropping the garment.

Some prior art hangers, such as that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,059,824 issued in I962 to Henry, are made of expanded polystyrene molded around a wire hanger, having the wire hanger embedded in the polystyrene. The wire hanger and xpafiaai' ibl 'styiaefcrm a unit, and if either is damaged both must be discarded. None of the prior art hangers or hanger sheaths provide a readily removable and inexpensive sheath or cover which prevents creasing of garments hanging from them.

SUMMARY THE INVENTION The present invention provides a garment hanger a thermoplastic synthetic resin.'The sheath has a slottherein adaptedto slideably receive a wire garment hanger such that only the hook member of the wire hanger protrudes from the sheath. The invention contemplates that only a hook member and shoulder support bars or segments thereof, of a wire garment hanger may be used as well as an entire wire hanger having a horizontal bar attached at its ends to the ends of the shoulder support bars opposite the hook. In an embodiment which utilizes a wire hanger having only a hook member and shoulder support bars, or segments thereof, the slot in the sheath need only extend through an apex of the sheath where the two shoulders support bars of the sheath join, so that the hook member protrudes through the apex of the sheath. In the embodi- BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a frontal plane view showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a top view of the sheath used in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a frontal plane view showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a top view of the sheath used in the embodiment shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a frontal plane view showing the preferred embodiment of the present invention with a wire garment hanger inserted therein.

FIG. 6 is a frontal plane view of the sheath of the preferred'embodiment shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a top view of the sheath shown in FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a bottom view of the sheath shown in FIG. 6.

FIG. 9 is a modified form of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown a wire hanger generally denoted as 2 having a hook member or element 4, segments of shoulder support bars or supporting elements 6, 8, and a removable, unitary,

Tfon-foldable, rigid sheath generally denoted as 10,-

19. This first slot 12 is adapted toreceivea neck portion 24 of the wire hanger 2. The shoulder support bar segments 6, 8 of the wire hanger 2 abut the lower surfaces 26, 28 of the sheaths shoulder support bars 16, 18 and act as an underprop for the sheath.

Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4, there is shown a wire hanger generally denoted as 30 having a hook portion 32 and shoulder support bars 34, 36, and a sheath generally denoted as 38 having two shoulder support bars 50, 52'and a horizontal bar 37 joined at its opposite ends to one end of each of the shoulder support bars 50, 52. A first slot generally denoted as 40 is disposed on the center line of the sheath substantially parallel to and intermediate with the two major surfaces 42, 44 of the sheath. This first slot 40 forms a longitudinal recess 46, 48 in each of the sheaths shoulder support bars 50, 52 and extends through the apex 54 where the two shoulder support bars 50, 52 of the sheath 38 join. This slot 40 is adapted to receive the hangers shoulder support bars 34, 36 in the longitudinal recesses 46, 48, and the hook member 32 of the wire hanger through that part of the slot 40 extending through the apex 54 of the sheath 38. The hangers shoulder support bars 34, 36 abut the sheaths shoulder support bars 50, 52 in the'longitudinal recesses 46, 48 in the sheaths shoulder support bars, and act as an underprop for the sheath. The only part of the wire hanger 30 which extends beyond the boundaries of the sheath 38 is the hook member 32.

FIG. 5 shows a wire hanger generally denoted as 56 having a hook member 58, shoulder support bars 60,

6 2 and a horizontal bar 64. Shown in FIGS. 5, 6, 7 and 8 is a sheath 66 having two shoulder support bars 68, 70, and a horizontal bar 72 joined at its opposite ends to one end of each of the shoulder support bars 68, 70. A first slot generally denoted as 74 is disposed on the center line of the sheath parallel to the two major surfaces 76, 78 of the sheath. This slot 74 extends through the sheaths horizontal bar 72, along the longitudinal axis of the sheaths shoulder support bars 68, 70, forming longitudinal recesses 82, 84 therein, and extends through the apex 80 formed by the junction of the ends of the shoulder support bars opposite the ends affixed to the sheaths horizontal bar 72. This slot 74 is adapted to receive the hangers horizontal bar 64, the rangers shoulder support bars 60, 62 in the longitudinal recesses 84 and the hook member 58 through the slot74 extending through the apex 80 of the sheath. The hangers shoulder support bars 60, 62 abut the sheaths hqu ds Su pe s 8110.31! e. longitudinal c ses 82,84 formed by the slot 74 in the sheaths shoulder support bars 68, 70 and act as an underprop for the sheath. The only portion of the wire hanger which extends beyond the boundaries of the sheath is the hook member 58. I

With reference to FIGS. 6, 7 and 8, there is shown the sheath 66 used with the preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 5. The sheath 66 has a horizontal bar 72,

. two shoulder support bars 68, 70, and a slot generally Marthe sheath. The slot 74 forms a longitudinal recess 82, 84 in each of the shoulder support bars 68, 70, each recess having base portions 86, 88 and two walls 90,92 disposed on opposite sides of the base portion 86, 88.

In the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, having'a slot 12' on 'tlie center useormesheatspewaidicular to a major surface 20, 22 of the sheath, the hanger 2 may be inserted by merely inserting a neck portion 24 of the wire hanger into the slot 12 far enough so that the shoulder support bar segments '26, 28 engage the sheaths shoulder support bars l6, 18 substantially on their longitudinal center line, such that the hook member 4 protrudes from the apex 14 of the sheath.

In the second embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, having a slot 40 substantially parallel to the two major surfaces 42, 44 of the sheath, the slot 40 is adapted to receive a wire garment hanger 30 inserted from the bottom edge of the shoulder support bars 50., 52, that is from the side opposite that from which the hook will protrude. In this embodiment, utilizing a hanger 30 with just'the hook member 32 and shoulder support bars 34, 36, the hanger maybe inserted in the slot 40 by placing it in the area of the sheath bounded by the sheath's horizontal bar 37 and shoulder support bars 50, 52, and displacing it generally upward until the hook member protrudes through the slot 40 in the apex 54 and the hanger shoulder support bars 34, 36 engage the sheaths shoulder support bars.

In the preferred embodiment shown in FIG. utilizing a hanger having a horizontal bar 64 as well as shoulder support bars 68, 70, the hanger may be inserted from a bottom side of the sheaths horizontal bar 72, that is the side thereof most remote from the apex 80, and displaced generally upwardly until the hook member 58 protrudes through the slot 74 in the apex or neck 80 and the hanger shoulder support bars 60, 62 engage the sheaths shoulder support bars 68, in the recesses 82, 84, such that the supporting elements of the wire hanger are juxtaposed to the base portions and bear thereagainst, the hookmernber 58 being the only part of the wire hanger 56 which extends beyond the boundaries of the sheath 66.

It is to be noted that upon insertion of the hanger the support elements thereof engage the support bars of the sheath and carry the entire weight of the sheath. FIG. 9 shows two modifications which may be incorporated in any of the above-described embodiments. A second slot 94 is located in the sheath substantially perpendicular to the major surfaces of the sheath. This second slot 94 is adapted to enable the insertion therethrough of an accessory garment, such as a tie or belt. Also shown is a pocket 96 located in one of the major surfaces of the sheath and adapted to house an insect repellant, such as mothballs.

The apex, shoulder support bars, and horizontal bars of the sheath may "Bear substantial thickness or several inches, and contouredto maintain the shape of the garments hanging therefrom.

Various other modifications will occur to those skilled in the .art within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A garment hanger comprising, in combination: a wire hanger including a hook member and two supporting elements, Y

a removable unitary non-foldable rigid sheath having major exterior parallel surfaces and including a horizontal bar, two shoulder support bars each integrally affixed at one of their ends to opposite ends of said horizontal bar and at their other ends to each other at an apex situated substantially over the mid-point of said horizontal bar, and a first slot disposed substantially on a center line of said removable unitary non-foldable rigid sheath and insertingly receiving therethrough said hook member of said wire hanger such that said hook member protrudes from said slot at said apex upwardly in a direction away from said horizontal bar;

the first slot being disposed substantially parallel to and intermediate between the two major exterior parallelsurfaces of said sheath, along a longitudinal axis of said shoulder support bars, and through said apex of said removable sheath, the first slot insertingly receiving said wire hanger such that only said hook member protrudes from said sheath, other portions of said wire hanger being enclosed by said sheath, said support bars having a longitudinal recess, the recess having a base portion and two walls disposed on opposite sides of said'base portion, the recess receiving therein the wire hanger such that the supporting elements of the wire hanger are in juxtaposition to the base portion andbear thereagainst', and wherein, said supporting elements of said wire hanger engaging said support bars of said unitary non-foldable rigid sheath to carry the entire weight of said sheath when said wire hanger has been inserted through said first slot. 2. A hanger structure substantially as set forth in claim 1, further characterized in that:

said unitary non-foldable rigid sheath structure ismade of an expanded plastic material. 3. A hanger structure substantially as set forth in claim 2, further characterized in that:

said shoulder support bars of said unitary nonfoldable rigid sheath structure have a thickness approximating several inches to prevent creasing a garment hanging thereon; and said horizontal bar of said unitary non-foldable rigid sheath structure has a substantial thickness to prevent creasing a garment hanging thereon. 4. A garment hanger substantially as set forth in claim 1, further characterized by:

a second slot disposed through said sheath; said second slot being located in the sheath substantially perpendicular to the major surfaces of the sheath; and said second slot for inserting therethrough an accessory element to enable the efficient hanging of a complete ensemble of clothing from one hanger. 5. A garment hanger substantially as set forth in claim 1 further characterized in that:

said slot is continuous with the longitudinal recess in each of said shoulder support bars.

6. A hanger structure for use in conjunction with an insertable hanger member having a hook element and two hanger support bars, comprising in combination:

i a sheath structure having two exterio r parallel major surfaces and including a horizontal portion, a neck portion, and two sheath shoulder support portions interconnecting said horizontal portions and said neck portion;

said sheath structure having a slot disposed between and substantially parallel to said two exterior parallel major surfaces thereof;

said support portions having a longitudinal recess,

the recess having a base portion and two walls disposed on opposite sides of said base portion, the recess being adapted to receive the insertable v hanger member such that the support bars thereof will be in juxtaposition to the base portion and bear thereagainst, and

said slot extending within said neck portion and continuously within said two sheath shouldersupport portions to define said recess, and within said horizontal portion so that said insertable hanger member may be inserted within said sheath structure. 

1. A garment hanger comprising, in combination: a wire hanger including a hook member and two supporting elements, a removable unitary non-foldable rigid sheath having major exterior parallel surfaces and including a horizontal bar, two shoulder support bars each integrally affixed at one of their ends to opposite ends of said horizontal bar and at their other ends to each other at an apex situated substantially over the mid-point of said horizontal bar, and a first slot disposed substantially on a center line of said removable unitary nonfoldable rigid sheath and insertingly receiving therethrough said hook member of said wire hanger such that said hook member protrudes from said slot at said apex upwardly in a direction away from said horizontal bar; the first slot being disposed substantially parallel to and intermediate between the two major exterior parallel surfaces of said sheath, along a longitudinal axis of said shoulder support bars, and through said apex of said removable sheath, the first slot insertingly receiving said wire hanger such that only said hook member protrudes from said sheath, other portions of said wire hanger being enclosed by said sheath, said support bars having a longitudinal recess, the recess having a base portion and two walls disposed on opposite sides of said base portion, the recess receiving therein the wire hanger such that the supporting elements of the wire hanger are in juxtaposition to the base portion and bear thereagainst, and wherein, said supporting elements of said wire hanger engaging said support bars of said unitary non-foldable rigid sheath to carry the entire weight of said sheath when said wire hanger has been inserted through said first slot.
 2. A hanger structure substantially as set forth in claim 1, further characterized in that: said unitary non-foldable rigid sheath structure is made of an expanded plastic material.
 3. A hanger structure substantially as set forth in claim 2, further characterized in that: said shoulder support bars of said unitary non-foldable rigid sheath structure have a thickness approximating several inches to prevent creasing a garment hanging thereon; and said horizontal bar of said unitary non-foldable rigid sheath structure has a substantial thickness to prevent creasing a garment hanging thereon.
 4. A garment hanger substantially as set forth in claim 1, further characterized by: a second slot disposed through said sheath; said second slot being located in the sheath substantially perpendicular to the major surfaces of the sheath; and said second slot for inserting therethrough an accessory element to enable the efficient hanging of a complete ensemble of clothing from one hanger.
 5. A garment hanger substantially as set forth in claim 1 further characterized in that: said slot is continuous with the longitudinal recess in each of said shoulder support bars.
 6. A hanger structure for use in conjunction with an insertable hanger member having a hook element and two hanger support bars, comprising in combination: a sheath structure having two exterior parallel major surfaces and including a horizontal portion, a neck portion, and two sheath shoulder support portions interconnecting said horizontal portions and said neck portion; said sheath structure having a slot disposed between and substantially parallel to said two exterior parallel major surfaces thereof; said support portions having a longitudinal recess, the recess having a base portion and two walls disposed on opposite sides of said base portion, the recess being adapted to receive the insertable hanger member such that the support bars thereof will be in juxtaposition to the base portion and bear thereagainst, and said slot extending within said neck portion and continuously within said two sheath shoulder support portions to define said recess, and within said horizontal portion so that said insertable hanger member may be inserted within said sheath structure. 